Bruno Silva: ‘I’m Living My Dream Now’

Bruno Silva admits he feels the need to pinch himself sometimes.

“I’m living my dream now,” he told Sherdog.com. “The moment I step into the cage and I see what’s happening, I tell myself, ‘Wow, I’m actually living through all of this.’ I’m very happy with everything. I’m very thankful and happy.”

The 34-year-old Brazilian will look to establish himself as a legitimate contender in the Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight division when he faces former Rizin Fighting Federation titleholder Manel Kape in a featured UFC on ESPN 63 attraction this Saturday at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Silva enters the Octagon on the strength of a four-fight winning streak. He last saw action at UFC on ESPN 60, where he put away Cody Durden with punches in the second round of their July 20 encounter. Silva does not shy away from tooting his own horn.

“I’m coming off four straight wins, all bonuses, all stoppages—three knockouts and one submission,” he said. “Who has a run like this in our weight class?”

Kape figures to serve as a formidable obstacle. He has rattled off four wins across his past five outings, a July 27 decision defeat to the unbeaten Muhammad Mokaev his only misstep. Kape, 31, has delivered 16 of his 19 professional victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission, nine of them inside one round. Silva understands the stakes.

“This fight, no doubt, is very important to me, like all the others,” he said. “Every fight is important. There’s no way around it. In our weight class, anyone in the Top 10 could be fighting for the belt. Kape is a guy that people enjoy watching. He likes to strike. He’s skilled. By knocking out Kape, I could be next for the belt or just about there. It’s going to be great.”

Never one to be satisfied with the status quo, Silva has relocated to American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, in hopes of furthering his development while navigating his mid-30s.

“Everyone is new to me—training partners and coaches—so I have to adapt and to evolve again, because here, the level is very high,” he said. “It’s an academy that has a lot of good people. You have to be in shape. We train every day. We are united in recognizing what’s most needed. We always formulate strategies to attack our opponents’ weaknesses.”

Should Silva get past Kape, he would almost certainly find himself in the Top 10 rankings at 125 pounds. His ultimate goal remains unchanged.

“My future plan is to be the UFC champion,” Silva said. “I’m looking forward to the next fight and the one after that and the one after that.”